| "Dementia is on the rise around the world, and health organizations in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand are increasingly responding to the urgent need - voiced by communities and practitioners - for guidance on how best to address memory loss in Indigenous communities. Indigenous Peoples and Dementia responds to this call by bringing together, for the first time, research on three key areas of concern: prevalence, causes, and public discourse; Indigenous perspectives on care and prevention; and the culturally safe application of research to Elder care. The discussions are organized thematically and are complemented by teaching interludes - stories or dialogues that impart Indigenous knowledge about memory loss and memory care. The contributors address the complexities of memory loss and dementia in a variety of Indigenous communities, casting doubt on the appropriateness of the current push for early diagnosis and treatment, as this approach may not meet the needs of Indigenous communities, given their differing worldviews and focus on holism and interconnectedness. Elders are the knowledge keepers and valued members of a declining cohort. Collectively, the contributors to this innovative volume demonstrate that in order to ensure that they receive culturally safe care, diagnosis and treatment must be grounded in collaborative research informed by Indigenous knowledge and nation-specific or place-based cultural understandings."-- Provided by publisher. |